Empty
by invisibleferret
Summary: The bench was always empty. Always empty, except for when Hermione was there. But on that Tuesday someone else was there, someone she really didn't expect. Hermione split up with Ron, closed herself off from the world and put all her energy into her work. That all changes when she meets Draco Malfoy. Again. But why does he want to get to know her? Doesn't he hate her? DM/HG(GW/HP)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

The bench was empty. The bench was always empty. Always empty, except for every Tuesday night, because every Tuesday night this was Hermione Granger's bench.

Draco knew this because every day he would walk through the park, after work as an auror, and every day the bench would be empty. But on Tuesday's Hermione would be there. He never knew why, he never asked why, in fact he didn't think she ever saw him. But he saw her.

Maybe one day he would speak to her, he wondered as he walked though the park on a Monday night, he was convinced she hated him but maybe tomorrow he would speak to her, ask her all the questions he'd been dying to ask.

Why did Hermione sit on the bench every Tuesday?

More specifically why on Tuesdays, why not any other day, and where were her friends?

Why was she no longer with Ron?

(Draco knew they had broken up, but he assumed they would just go back of being friends, yet he was still sure he saw Hermione purposely avoiding Ron at the Ministry)

And did Hermione really hate him as much as he was convinced she did?

He had more questions, but he knew she would never answer any of them, even more he presumed she would never want to speak to him anyway. But hey, he shrugged, as he wrapped his green trench coat tighter to fight the cold, he would never know if he didn't try.

...

Hermione yawned as she sat staring blankly at the files she was supposed to be studying.

"I've been staring at the same paragraph for two whole hours, what the hell is wrong with me" she sighed to no one in particular.

"Maybe you just need a rest"

"Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed. "You scared the life out of me, what are you doing here?" Hermione clutched her chest, a confused expression on her face, "what's wrong?"

"I came to check on you, you were supposed to come to mine and Harry's house for dinner this evening, remember?"

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry, I completely forgot, I guess I'm just so wrapped up in my work and-"

"Hermione! Calm down, it's okay I can see your busy with your work it doesn't matter, anyway you can always just come over another day!" Ginny spoke in a rush, eager to calm Hermione down. "I'll see you later"

And Ginny was right, Hermione sighed. She was busy with work. (But then again when was Hermione Granger not busy with work?)

Hermione worked in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the ministry of magic. She was constantly working, constantly studying files, preparing for hearings. Sometimes even she felt she was overworking.

Perhaps she didn't need to work this much, Hermione thought, she did spend an awfully long time reading the cases, studying them, poring over every little detail. But, after all, as Snape put it she was an 'insufferable little know it all.' She always had been she supposed.

"No it's okay Ginny, you should stay here, I could do with a break, plus I haven't seen you for ages!" Hermione blurted out. It was true she hadn't seen Ginny for such a long time.

They used to see each other all the time, back when Hermione still used to go to the burrow every weekend for dinner. Of course, that was when she was still with Ron.

Ron. She still remembered it as clear as if it was yesterday. The realisation, the argument outside the burrow, the shouting and the tears. She hadn't been back to the burrow since, despite Ginny and Mrs Weasley's pleas for her to come for the Weasley's weekly family dinner. They had long since given up hope on that.

Hermione got up and ushered Ginny to sit down in the lounge. She then fetched a glass of wine for each of them and joined Ginny on the couch.

Hermione's living room was decorated with dark purple walls, pale brown furniture, with purple cushions and cream carpets, it was warm and cosy, just how she liked it. Especially now in winter where she could turn on the fire, put her feet up and relax. At least she could relax if she wasn't always busy and stressed, whether it be about work, Ron, or something entirely different.

She didn't have much time to just relax, be herself, or even have much time with her friends these days. Since breaking up with Ron, she had all but immersed herself in her work, anything to avoid thinking about Ron. Hermione's social life collapsed as she missed dinner dates, avoided Ron at the ministry, and ultimately because she simply just didn't want to go out; despite Ginny attempting to persuade her several times a month.

It had been almost 5 months and Hermione had just got to the point where she had got over Ron, but she still didn't think she was at the stage where she could forgive him. No not yet.

Hermione dragged herself out of her thoughts and focused her attention back to Ginny,

"So how have you been" Hermione asked, turning to look at Ginny.

Ginny looked Hermione straight in the eyes and took a deep breath, "I think Harry's going to Propose."

The words tumbled from Ginny's mouth at such a speed that Hermione barely registered what Ginny had said.

"You think WHAT?!" Hermione all but shouted, her voice as shocked as she looked.

"You think what?" Hermione repeated, a little calmer this time, "what makes you think that?"

"Well..." Ginny took another deep breath with her eyes sparkling, and Hermione prepared herself for a long explanation - Ginny liked to go into detail.

"Well, He was looking up on his muggle internet laptop google thingy about places to go dinner on Saturday, and, from what I've seen from sneaking a look over his shoulder, all look pretty expensive, also he bought me a dress yesterday to wear for the meal - gosh it's so pretty you should see it, long red and flowing with little gems around the waist - anyway, he also took my dad over to the side last Weasley's dinner to talk to him! So... What do you think, is he going to or not?" Ginny finished with a sigh, a wistful look on her face

"Breathe Ginny! And I can't be sure, you know that, but it all sounds pretty damn convincing to me!

"You think?!" Ginny exclaimed, drawing in sharp breath, "I guess we can't be completely certain though can we?"

"No of course we can't! But I tell you what we can do, so that you don't get your hopes up if he's not, I'll come over for dinner tomorrow, if that's okay with of course?" Hermione asked, she knew what Ginny would say, but she still felt as if she should ask.

"Obviously it is, silly! You can come over when ever you like, your mine and Harry's best friend!"

Hermione blushed at the compliment, "Okay so I'll come over for dinner and then, with luck, Harry will tell me anyway, because as you know, he's completely terrible at keeping secrets, He always has to tell someone or it'll just be burning up his conscience!" Hermione explained, Ginny nodding along.

"And" Hermione added as an afterthought, "as you say, I am his bestest ever friend in the whole entire world!"

Both of them burst out laughing at this, and Ginny thought she almost saw a glimpse of Hermione's old sparkle and light in her eyes as she watched Hermione double over in laughter, a big smile on her face as they joked about Ginny's boyfriend and Hermione's best friend for so many years.

Once Hermione had got her breath back she added, "If that doesn't work I'll find away to ask him discreetly, without giving away that you suspect him, ok?"

"Sounds like a plan to me!" Ginny replied, eyes sparkling.

Still grinning Ginny hopped up from the couch, "I better go" she said "Harry will be wondering where I am"

"Okay it was great to see you, and catch up with each other!" Hermione said and she meant it, she really did, she turned around with a smile on her face as she closed the door to her flat. Maybe things will get better she sighed.

Tomorrow was Tuesday, and maybe tomorrow she would make more of an effort to socialise and be involved. She would go to dinner with Harry and Ginny at Grimmauld Place and yes she would attempt to stop closing herself off from the rest of the world, she really would try to move on and be a better person, Hermione thought.

...

A/N - Hope you liked the first chapter of this. This was a completely spur of the moment thing, I've read fanfiction for years but never written my own until I just decided to write and see what happened. I have no idea of the plot line for this story yet and I have no idea when I will update it and write a new chapters, all i know is that it will be a dramione fic. So I hope this fanfiction turns out okay and that people will actually like it. -grace

A/N - UPDATE-two years on - so I finally got round to writing another chapter and whilst I was at it I went through chapter one and Ive just made a few grammatical and writing corrections as well as making it a bit more smoother to read. Nothing has changed dramatically, just slightly improved the writing. -grace


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Draco sighed heavily as he took a long sip of coffee. 'Only three more hours left' he thought to himself; three hours left of work, and then maybe he could finally try and speak to Hermione Granger, after so many months of considering, debating and arguing with himself he had finally decided that he would speak to her.

His curiosity had finally taken over him. He wanted answers.

Besides, he needed to apologise, apologise for the absolute idiot he had been back at Hogwarts, apologise for everything he'd said and done to her back then. He didn't understand why he felt such a strong need to apologise, he'd never been the type to feel sorry, but he did this time. He would never have imagined, back in the days of Hogwarts, that one day he would want to make peace with Hermione Granger. But a lot had changed since those days.

Draco supposed he had never really hated Hermione. She actually had shred of sense in her,

unlike those two idiotic best friends of hers, who knows where they would be if it wasn't for Hermione, without her they'd probably be dead, in fact, they would be dead. Draco had always thought she was intelligent, and, to a certain extent, good looking - but Gods be damned he would never be caught dead admitting to that. Even now. No, he had never hated her, but of course he had never really liked her either.

His father had. His self righteous, close minded, muggle-hating father had injected prejudice into his mind from the moment he was born; "Mudbloods and muggles are the scum of this world Draco, do you hear me, and I never expect you to treat one any better than the dirt on the underneath of your shoes." And so he hadn't. Draco had done exactly what his father instructed him to do, not knowing any different. Never formulated an opinion of his own, only blindly following in the misguided direction his father took.

It was only as he grew older that Draco began to realise just how twisted the thoughts and actions of his father truly were. Voldemort returned. Lucius fled to him. The war begun. And that's when Draco knew that he never wanted to be a part of the evil that was to come.

By that point, of course, it was already too late. His selfish father had already divulged every last piece of information about his 'darling son' to 'our Lord'. And Draco was trapped. Unable to escape the inevitable, that he would one day have to serve Lord Voldemort.

That had come sooner than he'd thought. He remembered it so clear that he could still hear the words: "Kill Albus Dumbledore". From those three words he had known he could never do it. But that wasn't the worst thing that he was commanded to do. Not by any means. No. He couldn't even bring himself to think of the worst day.

The day was permanently ingrained into his brain, he couldn't forget and he wouldn't forget. Her mortified expression. Her screams. Her pleas for help. Her unbearable pain. The blood. The tears.

Hermione.

A sharp ringing pulled Draco back from the deep hole of thoughts he had spiralled into.

The small bell rang as the door to the coffee shop was opened, it was Ron Weasley. Ron Weasley, and that squirrel faced Gryffindor, whatshername... Violet? Lilac?- Lavendar! That was it!

What the hell is Weasley doing with her? Draco wondered, didn't they have some kind of history together? He recalled, with an inwards grin, Hermione once charming a swarm of bees to chase Lavendar around the Hogwarts lake, he didn't know why she'd done it but it had had him crying with laughter as he'd sat by the lake. As much as he'd disliked Hermione, he had always admired her handiwork when it came to charms, especially when it had involved the humiliation of someone else. Providing it wasn't him, of course.

But, Lavendar? why would Weasley be with her of all people. The snobbish brat seemed to have done nothing but cling to Weasley during Hogwarts, hadn't he hated that? Perhaps that was why he was with her now. Weasley had always had a craving for attention.

"Ron, love, be a darling and get me a cup of coffee would you?" The whiney voice made its way to Draco, the high pitch carried it above the general hum of the coffee shop.

Ah so he was right, the Gryffindor snob was still clinging to the attention seeker Weasley.

"Of course Lav, grab us a seat, I'll be over in a second" Came the stupid tone of Ron Weasley.

Draco watched startled as Weasley bent down and pressed his lips against Lavenders. Draco was shocked, hadn't Weasley been in love with Hermione? For years he'd thought? The last he'd heard Weasley wouldn't talk to anyone since his break up, and yet here he was kissing -rather thoroughly Draco noticed with disgust - the Gryffindor snob Lavendar. In broad daylight.

As if he didn't hate Weasley enough. But here Weasley was, burning Dracos eyes out as he was forced to watch the two Gryffindors sucking each others bloody faces off.

Draco couldn't deal with this any longer. He wanted answers. What had happened between Hermione and the Weasel? He didn't know why he'd become so invested, but he had, and he couldn't deal with it on his conscience any longer.

Standing abruptly, Draco stalked towards the door and with a snide look at Ron, acknowledged his presence,

"Weasley." He said, in a tone resembling his 12 year old self,

"Fancy seeing you here - and with none other than another Gryffindor attention whore at your heels. Delightful. What a lovely reunion this is. It is a shame that I can't hang around, have a pleasant day Weasel"

With a mocking grin he leant against the door and spun around, he walked away smirking to himself at the shocked looks on their faces as they'd stood there gazing at him, mouths hanging open. No, Draco had not lost his mocking nature or his ability to make snide comments, despite the sudden need he felt to apologise to one Gryffindor in particular.

Suddenly Draco remembered that today was Tuesday - Today he would take his regular route through the park, and this time, when he saw Hermione sat on the bench, he would speak to her.

...

Hermione woke with a start. Groggily raising her head she realised with horror that she had fallen asleep at her desk, her papers were everywhere, quills were scattered across the desk, and even all over the floor. She rubbed her eyes exhaustedly as she tried to rouse herself from her tired state, Ginny really was right, perhaps Hermione was overworking herself.

Ginny! Hermione remembered with a start, she spun around in her chair, with such a force that she nearly flew right off it, and gasped as her eyes fell on the clock, she was supposed to be at the burrow in 15 minutes.

Hermione realised with a slight pang that she would have to sacrifice her usual Tuesday routine of walking through the park to her bench. Then, in a panic as she again remembered where she was supposed to be, shot from her desk and quickly ran from her office to the fireplace, grabbed the floo powder, and in an instant she was home.

'Why oh why did I have to fall asleep, oh that is so typical of me' she muttered to herself as she flitted about hurrying to get ready as quickly as she could. it was the first time she was going out to socialise in months and she did not want to be late. She was in such a rush that she didn't even notice the dark ink prints on her face from where she had fallen asleep against the files she'd been working on.

Arriving at Grimmauld place, Hermione uttered the password and quickly slipped inside - invisible to the muggles in the street behind her.

Ginny greeted her with a hug and then drew back, immediately bursting into fits of laughter, "Hermione!" Ginny managed to gasp, inbetween her laughter, "what on EARTH happened to your face!"

Hermione's confused expression seemed to set Ginny off into even more peals of laughter, sprinting to the mirror, Hermione too began to laugh - again showing a glimmer of her old spark in her eyes - and then she grinned sheepishly.

"I guess that means that I have to tell you the TRUTH as to why I'm late." Hermione admitted. and she begun to tell Ginny the story of how she'd fallen asleep whilst studying her case documents as they walked together to the dining room.

Overhearing the conversation from the kitchen ,Harry butted in, "Not changed one bit have you Hermione!"

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed delightedly, realising with a pang how much she really had missed her best friend, throwing her arms around him she whispered to herself "God I'm so stupid, it's been too long."

"Hey, you're not stupid Hermione, we all know you've needed time to yourself, we understand that and we just want to be here to support you in whatever way you need" Harry replied gently, having heard what she'd whispered.

Tears threatened to fall as Hermione smiled at her two best friends. Gods, they really were the best, she was so lucky to have them in her life, seeing them together just made so much sense.

Together. That was where Harry and Ginny belonged.


End file.
